What if Sirius didn't Get the News?
by Luiz4200
Summary: AU fic. Fudge refused to let Sirius read the newspaper so Sirius never learns "he's at Hogwarts!". Sirius eventually dies in Azkaban by the time Harry Potter becomes an adult. Upon learning of the Godfather he never met, will Harry hate or avenge him?
1. The Death of Sirius Orion Black

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter franchise or any character from the series.**

 **What if Sirius didn't Get the News?**

 **Chapter 1: The Death of Sirius Orion Black**

Cornelius Oswald Fudge was performing his most hated duty as the Minister of Magic: inspecting Azkaban Prison. Once per year, Minister Fudge had to inspect the prison to see if everything was in order. Part of that consisted on seeing to it that every inmate was accounted for. Azkaban's most infamous inmate was Sirius Orion Black, believed to be Lord Voldemort's right-hand-man.

"Fudge, when will I get my trial?" Sirius asked as usual.

"It's _Minister_ Fudge for you, Black, and there's no need to waste a trial for someone who's obviously guilty." Fudge retorted as usual. It was actually growing boring for the Minister, who secretly yearned for variety like when Sirius asked for his newspaper four years ago.

"What day is today?" Sirius asked.

"July 31st, 1997, Black." Fudge answered.

"Prongslet's birthday." Sirius sadly said. "My godson becomes an adult today. I missed his childhood and it's the Ministry's fault! I should have been allowed a trial! I'm innocent! You know? My cousin Bellatrix insists Voldemort will return. If he does, I hope it's with Peter Pettigrew's help so I can say it's yours, Dumbledore's, Crouch's and Bagnold's fault."

"I knew you're insane but that's beyond limits, Black." Fudge said. "Pettigrew is dead."

"NO, HE'S NOT!" Sirius angrily replied and then kept repeating 'he's not' until he had a stroke.

"Black, you're not playing a trick, are you?" Fudge asked. Thanks to the dementors' ability to sense human souls, it was confirmed that, unlike what Fudge feared, Sirius Black really died. "Did any of you took note of the time of death?" He asked one of the Aurors who were there with him as protection detail.

"I did it, Sir." One of them answered.

"Good." Fudge replied with no regards for the recently lost life. "Now we can add it when I report Black's death."

 **End chapter.**

 **Author's Note: Before anyone asks, I believe that, even with Sirius' animagus form softening the dementors' effect on him, it was just a matter of time until he passed away in a timeline where he never left Azkaban.**


	2. News and Wills

**Chapter 2: News and Wills**

When Harry Potter became seventeen years old and thus a legal adult in the Wizarding World, one of the first things he did was leaving the Dursleys for good. He temporarily moved into the Weasleys' home (a.k.a. the Burrow) until he had a place of his own. There were already some talks about hiring a magical crew to repair his parents' Godric's Hollow home since the Potters were said to have been living at the area ever since the time of the Peverell Brothers. That, however, was a talk for another day. His birthday was a time for celebrations.

In the next morning, Harry's sleep was suddenly broken by screams of joy. "What's wrong?" He asked the first Weasley he met.

"Great news, Harry!" Molly Weasley happily exclaimed while showing him the Daily Prophet's first page. "Sirius Black is dead!"

"What?" Harry was shocked that somebody's death (other than Voldemort's) would make somebody happy.

"Exactly, Harry." Ginny Weasley added. "Aren't you glad that traitor is finally dead?"

"Traitor?" Harry asked in confusion.

Even Ron could figure out Harry's problem. "I don't think Harry ever heard of Sirius Black before."

"I suppose it makes sense." Arthur Weasley commented. "Probably even the Dursleys would have deemed it too cruel to let Harry know about Black's crimes." He then turned his attention to Harry. "Harry, Sirius Black was the last of a long line of Dark Wizards and You-Know-Who's right-hand man."

"No wonder he became a Death Eater but, why did Ginny call him a traitor?" Harry asked.

"Harry dear, Sirius Black managed to trick the Light side into thinking he didn't want to follow into his Dark ancestors' footsteps. He even joined the Order of the Phoenix." Molly explained while trying to comfort Harry. "The Order of the Phoenix is a group of wizards and witches who weren't satisfied by the Ministry's efforts to stop You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters during the Wizarding War." She explained upon noticing Harry's confusion. "Dumbledore was our leader in the Order."

"No need to waste more time thinking about him, Harry." Fred Weasley suggested.

"Yeah, just be glad the scum is dead." Fred's identical twin George Weasley added.

"Where's Percy?" Bill Weasley asked out of hope there'd be a change of subjects. "I thought the whole family would be here to help organizing my marriage.

"You know him, Bill." Charlie Weasley commented. "He's probably sucking up to Crouch in hopes his boss will finally remember his name isn't Weatherby."

"Good one, Charlie!" The twins commented.

Their conversation was interrupted by an owl delivering Harry a letter. "It's a Gringotts owl!" Bill exclaimed upon recognition.

"What would the goblins want with me?" Harry asked. "Are they congratulating me for my birthday?"

"Had this been the case, Harry, you'd have received their congratulations yesterday." Bill explained and then noticed the black markings on the envelope. "It's a death notice! A Gringotts account holder must have died and named you as a beneficiary."

"But who would do this and not rescue me from the Dursleys?" Harry asked in disbelief. He couldn't accept that someone who wouldn't rescue him would care enough to bequeath him anything at all.

"Whoever it is, you'd better read the letter and claim the inheritance." Bill suggested. "Who knows who else might get it otherwise?"

Harry then opened the envelope and got the shock of his life. "This can't be! The goblins must have made a mistake!"

"The goblins never make mistakes." Bill gravely stated.

"The goblins say Sirius Black was my Godfather and bequeathed everything he had to me!" Harry replied while showing the letter. "There's no way my parents would choose a Death Eater to be my Godfather!"

"Remember what we said about Sirius Black being a traitor?" Arthur asked. "Your parents are two of the people he deceived.

"I don't like to speak ill of the dead other than people like Black but your parents should have known better." Molly sadly commented. "Even if Black broke his family's tradition by being sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin, it was clear to me from the very beginning his family's blood purism would win out. Not that the Blacks have never produced the occasional decent person but Sirius Black was their Heir!"

"In that case, I don't think I want anything from him." Harry commented in disgust.

"Harry!" Bill commented. "You must claim whatever Sirius Black bequeathed to you otherwise the Malfoys will likely be the ones to get it."

"The Malfoys?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry." Arthur calmly answered. "Aside from you as Black's godson, his cousins Narcissa Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks and Bellatrix Lestrange are his closest relatives. Andromeda would be the best option because of her marriage to a muggleborn but the Malfoys have the connections to rig an eventual court battle on their favor."

"What about this Bellatrix Lestrange?" Harry asked out of curiosity.

"She makes the Malfoys seem like the lesser evil." Molly commented. "She's one of the Death Eaters caught using the Cruciatus Curse on Neville Longbottom's parents. Poor Frank and Alice are still at St. Mungo's permanent ward. She's still in Azkaban."

"I bet I'm only getting his monies because he didn't care enough about them to make a will." Harry commented.

"The Gringotts goblins don't use the term "bequeath" in cases of intestacy, Harry." Bill said. "Sirius Black did make a will leaving everything to you."

"But why would a Death Eater do it?" Harry asked.

"It's meaningless to wonder about it, Harry." Molly replied. "It's possible that at some point he really wanted to be a Light Wizard and simply thought there'd be more time to make a new will before being arrested; maybe that testament was just for show and, like in the previous theory, he didn't have time to make a new one; or he just saw it as a way to keep the Malfoys and the Lestranges from killing him before he started a family of his own. There are so many possibilities that any chances of knowing the truth probably died with Sirius Black."

Reluctantly, Harry agreed to go to Gringotts to claim Sirius Black's estate. There, he and the Weasleys met the same bank teller Harry and Hagrid met six years and one day ago. "May I help you, wizards?" The goblin asked with a sneer.

"I've received this letter telling me I'm Sirius Black's beneficiary." Harry answered as he showed the letter.

"Curse-breaker Weasley, why are you involved?" The goblin asked.

"Harry Potter is friends with my family, Sir." Bill humbly answered.

"Mr. Potter, are you willing to let them into your inheritance discussion?" The goblin asked.

"They're my friends, Sir." Harry answered. "I trust them."

"Well, you're an adult now." The goblin said in conformity. "Deathclaw will read the will to you all except for you, curse-breaker Weasley. Ms. Delacour needs your help with her English." The twins snickered and Ginny and Molly groaned.

Harry and the remaining Weasleys were led to Deathclaw's office. "Welcome, Mr. Potter." Deathclaw greeted. "It's my understanding that the wizards and witches accompanying you have your trust regarding the matter to be discussed."

"That is correct, Sir." Harry humbly replied.

"First at all, Mr. Potter, I was about to send an owl with the Ministry's newest ruling regarding Sirius Black's estate but, since you're here, I can give you the message right now unless you have any objections." Deathclaw stated.

"I have none, Sir." Harry said and was then given the note.

 _To Gringotts and whomever it may concern,_

 _By order of the Ministry of Magic, the estate of the late Sirius Orion Black is hereby confiscated under the Decree for Justifiable Confiscation._

 _Signed,_

 _Cornelius Oswald Fudge_

 _Minister of Magic_

"What's the Decree for Justifiable Confiscation?" Harry asked.

"It's a decree that allows the Ministry of Magic to confiscate the contents of a will for thirty-one days after the will maker's death if there's strong evidence illegal items may be passed on the will, Harry." Arthur explained.

"But which evidence is there to confiscate Sirius Black's estate?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Minister Fudge forgot to state, which means we're under no obligation to uphold the decision." Deathclaw answered.

"He's a Black." Ron commented. "That's probably reason enough."

" _And_ he was also You-Know-Who's right-hand man." Molly added.

"But why would a Death Eater leave anything to me?" Harry asked.

"Sirius Black has never been tried for any crimes." Deathclaw said, shocking Harry. "For all I know, he's innocent of everything."

"Nonsense!" Molly sneered at the idea. "His guilt was so clear the Ministry wouldn't even waste time with a trial."

"WHAT?" Harry was outraged. "My Godfather was in prison for all those years without a trial and you saw nothing wrong with it?"

"The evidence was clear and he didn't deserve a chance to cheat justice after everything he did!" Molly declared.

"Was the evidence really clear or was the Minister just wanting to be seen doing things?" Harry asked while remembering Fudge's excuse to arrest Hagrid during the incident with the Chamber of Secrets. "It's probably the reason Fudge is confiscating my Godfather's possessions."

"Black confessed!" Molly argued.

"He was probably a victim of coercion." Harry suggested.

"Harry, Sirius Black told You-Know-Who a Fidelius-protected secret." Arthur explained. "Even the Imperius couldn't coerce him to reveal the secret."

"I meant coercion to confess." Harry clarified. "Anyone who sends people to prison without allowing them a trial probably has no qualms about coercing them to confess." Harry was thinking about the primary school teachers who punished him for refusing to confess the things Dudley accused him of doing.

"You wouldn't oppose the idea if you knew what Sirius Black did to deserve his imprisonment." Molly declared.

"I'd rather know if I can do anything to the Ministry for denying my Godfather a trial." Harry replied.

"As Sirius Black's sole beneficiary, you may sue the Ministry for his imprisonment but you'd better know what he was accused of doing before making such a big decision." Deathclaw suggested.

"No!" Molly shrieked. "He's too young to know."

"Don't yell at a goblin, Molly." Arthur pleaded. "I'm sorry about her, Deathclaw."

"And Harry Potter is now an adult who deserves to know the truth." Deathclaw corrected Molly's statement and Harry readied himself to listen.

 **End chapter.**


	3. The Boy Who Sues

**Chapter 3: The Boy Who Sues**

"I cannot believe it!" Molly exclaimed in outrage. "How could that blasted goblin expel us from his office?"

"He wouldn't have done that had you not started pestering Harry against the idea of questioning Sirius Black's guilt, Mum." Charlie explained.

"Sirius Black's guilt is obvious." She stated and then turned her attention to Ron. "Ronald, do you have any idea of what Harry meant with Minister Fudge wanting to be seen doing things?"

"Uh, nothing." Ron lied.

"Ronald." She glared at him until he gave in. "Wanting to be seen doing things was Fudge's excuse to arrest Hagrid over the chamber incident."

"And how would you or Harry know it?" Molly asked. "It was reported that the arrest took place at Hagrid's cabin during night time. Both you and Harry were supposed to be inside your dorms by then."

"News fly fast at Hogwarts, Mum." Ron quickly explained.

"Then why did you lie about not understand what Harry meant?" Molly asked and Ron gulped.

"Ronniekins is in trouble." The twins said in sing-song.

"So are you if you keep making fun of this case." She threatened the twins.

"We are…" Fred said.

"Adults, Mum." George added.

"But you both still live under my roof." She argued. "My roof. My rules."

"We're saving for the money needed for our joke shop." Fred said.

"And you don't help matters destroying our materials." George added.

"Are you still obsessed with that even after getting jobs at the Ministry?" Arthur asked.

"Jobs we'll leave as soon as…" Fred replied.

"We can afford to start our joke shop." George completed.

"I will NOT let you jeopardize your…" Molly's threat was interrupted by Harry leaving Deathclaw's office. "Oh, Harry. Please tell me you're not filing a frivolous lawsuit against the Ministry."

"I won't, Mrs. Weasley." Harry reassured her. "I'm just sending a request for Sirius Black's body so it can be properly buried at the Black Family's graveyard."

Molly didn't say anything since she wasn't certain about how to feel about that. While she believed Sirius Black didn't deserve that mercy, she wouldn't be very vocal about someone providing a funeral for an enemy no matter how hated that enemy was.

"Then I'll be moving a non-frivolous lawsuit against the Ministry for denying him a trial." Harry explained. "It's their fault my Godfather couldn't take me in."

"Harry James Potter, didn't Deathclaw show you the proof of Black's guilt?" Molly sternly glared.

"He showed me what the Ministry took for proof and I don't consider it enough to find him guilty." Harry stated. "The evidence is so weak I won't be surprised if Peter Pettigrew turns out to be alive and the real traitor."

All Weasleys near him were shocked. "Nonsense, Harry." Molly said. "Several witnesses confirmed Peter's death."

"They never found enough of his body to confirm his supposed death, Mrs. Weasley." Harry explained. "For all I know, he caused that explosion and left that finger behind to fake his death so he wouldn't be captured for betraying my parents."

"Harry, to make a frivolous lawsuit is one thing but defaming a martyr is going too far." Molly said. "I don't think I can feel comfortable with you near my family again."

"No matter." Harry said. "Deathclaw also said my home is ready for me to live. Goodbye."

"Molly, don't you think you're overreacting?" Arthur asked his wife.

"Sirius Black is obviously guilty." Molly replied. "To question it shows that you're either barmy or greedy. It's one thing to claim his wealth to prevent people like the Malfoys from doing it but suing the Ministry for more is unforgivable."

"Mum, I'm certain Harry genuinely thinks Sirius Black is innocent." Ginny defended Harry.

"Someone this delusional isn't a good influence for you. Stay away from him, Ginny." Molly ordered and then turned her attention to Ron. "The same goes for you, Ron."

"Mum, we're on the same Quidditch team." Ron moaned.

"Fine." She grunted. "Discuss Quidditch tactics with him but don't talk to him about anything else."

"Speaking of Quidditch, how are Gryffindor's new beaters?" The twins asked.

"Awful." Ron answered. "They're so bad as beaters it makes me wonder if the both of you ever thought about becoming professional Quidditch players."

"Now that's something worthy…" Fred commented.

"Giving up our joke shop dream for." George added.

"Not that we would, mind you." They said.

Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Magic, the Minister and his Senior Undersecretary were discussing an important matter with a 'respectable' citizen of the Wizarding World. "As I explained in that letter, Lucius, I cannot disregard Sirius Black's last will and testament because he bequeathed everything to his godson." Fudge explained.

"The godparent/godchild relationship ended when Sirius Black betrayed the Potters to You-Know-Who, Minister." Lucius argued.

"It would have had the Ministry not skipped the formality of a trial." Fudge explained. "It's sad that Harry Potter is the godson of his parents' betrayer but it was either this or risking that Black would cheat justice."

Dirk Cresswell, Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, interrupted their conversation by suddenly entering the Minister's office. "Cresswell, how dare you interrupt this meeting?" Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge arrogantly asked. She'd love to demote Dirk but she knew nobody with a better blood type wanted his job.

"Minister Fudge wanted me to bring the Goblins' reply regarding Sirius Black as soon as possible, Senior Undersecretary." Dirk answered.

"That's true, Dolores." Fudge confirmed. "What did the Goblins say?"

"May I say it in front of someone with no official position within the Ministry, Minister?" Dirk asked while being careful to avoid insulting Malfoy.

"Lucius Malfoy has my entire trust, Cresswell." Fudge formally replied.

Dirk handed the Minister a report. "First, your request to confiscate Sirius Black's estate has been denied on the grounds that no justification was presented for confiscation."

"They'll hear from us!" Umbridge exclaimed.

"Harry Potter requested for Sirius Black's body to be buried at the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black's gravesite." Dirk stated.

"What?" The three of them asked. "Why would Harry care that much about his family's betrayer?" Fudge asked.

"Harry Potter is so doubtful of Sirius Black's guilt he filed a lawsuit against the Ministry for denying Black a trial." Dirk reported.

"HE CAN'T DO THAT!" Fudge loudly exclaimed but then grew worried. "Can he?"

"As Sirius Black's sole beneficiary, Harry Potter can sue over any wrongs done to Black." Dirk explained.

"Call the Prophet!" Fudge ordered. "The people must know Harry Potter is making a frivolous lawsuit!"

"Minister, do you really believe it's a good idea?" Dirk asked.

"Unfortunately, I must agree with Cresswell this time, Cornelius." Umbridge reluctantly added. "The Prophet and its readers shouldn't be bothered with an attention-seeking kid's frivolous lawsuit."

"Professor Snape and my son Draco do tell me Harry Potter is an attention-seeker." Lucius Malfoy commented. "He probably expects us to divulge his lawsuit."

"What choice do we have?" Fudge asked. "Something as big as Harry Potter suing the Ministry of Magic on Sirius Black's behalf won't stay hidden for long."

"I can do something about that, Cornelius." Umbridge sweetly said.

"What can you do, Dolores?" Fudge asked.

"The least you know, the better." Umbridge answered while glaring at Dirk. Fudge and Malfoy smiled.

"Excellent!" Fudge commented.

Meanwhile, still concerned about Harry, Molly Weasley went to Hogwarts to talk to Dumbledore. "Welcome, Molly." Dumbledore greeted her with a smile and offered her a lemon drop. "What can I do for you?"

"Headmaster, we have a problem!" She said while accepting the drop.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked out of worry.

"Harry Potter received a Gringotts notification about Sirius Black's death." Molly explained.

Dumbledore was surprised by this. "Yes, I agree it's not a nice way to learn of one's connection to a traitor."

"It's worse than that!" Molly exclaimed in desperation. "Harry wants to sue the Ministry!"

"What?" Dumbledore certainly didn't expect that. "Why would Harry do that?"

"He says Sirius Black should have been allowed a trial no matter how clear the evidence was, Headmaster." Molly explained. "He even came up with excuses to believe the evidence left grounds to doubt and the Ministry is merely pretending to think otherwise."

"Impossible!" Dumbledore was shocked. "Black confessed!"

"Harry says people who deny accused criminals a chance to plead their case are likely to force confessions out of them as well." Molly said.

"I am going to talk to him, Molly." Dumbledore said. "Where's he?"

"I believe he's at his Godric's Hollow home, Headmaster." She answered.

"Thank you, Molly." Dumbledore replied. After Molly left Hogwarts grounds, he went to Godric's Hollow to meet Harry.

"Who's there?" Harry asked upon hearing someone knocking on the door.

"It's Albus Dumbledore, Harry." Dumbledore kindly answered.

"How do I know you're not an impostor?" Harry suspiciously asked.

"When we first discussed the Mirror of Erised, I told you I desired woolen socks." Dumbledore answered and Harry let him in.

"What brings you here, Sir?" Harry politely asked.

"Harry. My boy, I was informed that you're moving a frivolous lawsuit against the Ministry." Dumbledore answered.

"It's not frivolous!" Harry protested. "The Ministry denied my Godfather a trial and, because of that, an innocent man was left to rot in prison and nobody rescued me from the Dursleys!"

"Harry, you don't know what Sirius Black did to deserve his fate." Dumbledore pleaded.

"I know my Godfather was _accused_ of betraying my parents to Voldemort and killing Peter Pettigrew and several muggles." Harry strongly explained. "If he really did any of these things or not is a question a trial should have answered but the Ministry decided that giving the impression that the murderer was punished is more important than checking if the person being punished _is_ the murderer."

"There were several witnesses." Dumbledore reminded Harry.

"You and the others with ulterior motives to keep Sirius Black imprisoned deliberately call attention to this to keep people from asking what the witnesses said so nobody would figure out their statements shouldn't be considered enough proof of his supposed guilt." Harry accused.

"They prove that Sirius Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper." Dumbledore pleaded.

"Wrong!" Harry protested. "They prove that Peter Pettigrew _claimed_ Sirius Black was the Secret-Keeper. Without Pettigrew's reasons to believe this claim, we cannot rule out possibilities like an honest mistake or a deliberate frame-up on his part."

"Harry, my boy, you shouldn't be speaking ill of the dead." Dumbledore admonished Harry.

"Then it's all right because Peter Pettigrew isn't dead as far as I know." Harry casually replied. "One measly finger isn't enough to eliminate doubts on the matter."

"Harry, do you have no idea of the backlash you'll suffer for moving this frivolous lawsuit?" Dumbledore desperately asked. "It'll be like the Chamber of Secrets all over."

"You're right, Headmaster." Harry replied and Dumbledore was relieved until he added. "I'll withdraw from Hogwarts and get the rest of my education elsewhere."

"You cannot do that!" Dumbledore was shocked. "Hogwarts is the best place!"

"Headmaster, I've been studying my options ever since the summer of 1994 back when I learned there are other schools." Harry solemnly said. "The only reason I stayed at Hogwarts was because I couldn't go to a place where I could stay year-round."

"Harry, I wish I didn't have to do it, but…" Dumbledore sadly said as he drew his wand but Dobby interrupted him.

"You will not harm Master Harry!" Dobby declared as he defeated Dumbledore the same way he previously defeated Lucius Malfoy. Dumbledore and his wand were thrown outside Harry's home with the clear implication he'd not be allowed to return.

"Good work, Dobby." Harry complimented his elf.

"Dobby is pleased to serve Master Harry." Dobby commented back. "Should Dobby contact Professor Sluggy?"

That night, the Dursleys were celebrating their newfound Harry-free life. "Dad, will you please turn up the heat?" Dudley asked. "It's too cold in here."

"It's already on max!" Vernon found out and then started having visions of his sister Marge being inflated.

 **End chapter.**


	4. Goodbyes

**Chapter 4: Goodbyes**

The Dursleys were reviving the worst memories of their lives until they heard someone shout "Expecto Patronum!" The someone is a character the Dursleys never saw before but, based on his clothes, they could tell he's a wizard. "Who are you?" Vernon angrily asked while Dudley went to his bedroom to hide from further danger.

"My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt and I'm an Auror." Shacklebolt explained. "Professor Dumbledore sent me here to protect you against Death Eaters who might resent you for sheltering Harry Potter."

"Is that what just happened?" Petunia asked with a frown as she thought of another reason to hate her nephew.

"Normally I'd think so except that we were attacked by Dementors, Mrs. Dursley." Kingsley explained.

"What are Dementors?" Vernon grumpily asked. "And what's an Auror in the first place?"

"Aurors are Dark Wizard catchers and Dementors guard Azkaban Prison." Petunia explained.

"Then what are those Dementor things doing here?" Vernon angrily asked. "Are they looking for the boy?"

"Boy?" Kingsley asked in confusion.

"Harry Potter." Vernon clarified. "Why else would Azkaban guards come here? What did he do?"

Kingsley didn't catch on the fact Vernon meant some real wrongdoing. "The Dementor attack is likely the work of some corrupt officer who wanted to prevent Harry Potter from suing the Ministry of Magic." He explained.

"He's what?" Petunia asked in shock. "What's he suing for?"

"The boy probably figured out a frivolous lawsuit is the only way he can get by not that he's no longer living at our expense." Vernon commented.

"He's suing on behalf of his recently deceased Godfather, Mr. Dursley." Kingsley answered.

"Godfather?" Vernon asked in confusion. "The boy doesn't have a Godfather."

"Not anymore." Kingsley replied.

"Then why didn't he take the boy in?" Petunia asked. She was indignant that she had to take a freak in while said freak had a Godfather all along.

"Because he was in Azkaban during all this time, Mrs. Dursley." Kingsley answered.

"Is that what the boy is suing the Ministry for?" Vernon asked in curiosity.

"Yes, Mr. Dursley." Kingsley answered. "Harry Potter claims the Ministry should have allowed him a chance to plead his case in a trial."

"Are you saying he wasn't?" Petunia asked in outrage. "What kind of barbaric society doesn't allow their accused criminals a trial? What if he's innocent?"

"He's Sirius Black!" Kingsley said like that made it obvious Harry's Godfather couldn't be innocent.

"Who?" Vernon asked as he never heard of Sirius Black before.

"By what I recall, Sirius Black was a year mate of the boy's parents and used to be best friends with the boy's father." Petunia answered.

"Is that all you know of him?" Kingsley asked in confusion.

"We lost contact with them after their graduation." Petunia replied. "What else were we supposed to know?"

"Sirius Black betrayed the Potters to Voldemort and, when Peter Pettigrew tried to capture him, he killed Pettigrew and twelve muggle bystanders." Kingsley explained while exasperated at the notion that there were people who knew of the Wizarding World but not of this fact.

"Are those the crimes he was left to rot in prison for with no trial?" Vernon asked.

"Yes." Kingsley simply answered.

"Then there's a chance he's innocent of all of them." Vernon commented. "It's not like it'd be necessary to deny him a trial to keep him imprisoned if they had strong enough evidence to convict him."

"Mr. Dursley, that's exactly why we didn't waste time with a trial." Kingsley explained.

"That's witch hunter reasoning!" Vernon angrily protested. "There should have been a trial to settle doubts regarding Sirius Black's supposed guilt no matter how certain those who imprisoned him were or said they were of it."

Being well-versed on Muggle Studies, Kingsley Shacklebolt took no offence to the "witch hunter" comment but something else worried him. " _Said_ they were?"

"Exactly." Vernon stated. "I am now fearing for the worst and believing this Black character was only denied a trial because somebody wanted him out of the way regardless of him being guilty or not."

' _Oh, Merlin.' Kingsley thought. 'A muggle Xenophilius Lovegood.'_ "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black is one of the most influential families in the Wizarding World." Kingsley pleaded. "Had the Ministry allowed him a trial, they would have rigged it to have Black acquitted."

"They could do it but couldn't force the Ministry to hold a trial in the first place?" Petunia skeptically asked. "I find it hard to believe."

"Well, it's none of my business if you believe Black guilty or not." Kingsley commented. "I'm checking the area for more Dementors."

Meanwhile, at the Ministry Headquarters, Dolores Umbridge giddily went to the Improper Use of Magic Office to talk to Mafalda Hopkirk. "Ms. Hopkirk?" She called with her sickly sweet voice.

"What may I do for you, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge?" Hopkirk asked out of respect and fear.

"Have you ever received any notifications of magic being done in front of muggles at Privet Drive lately?" Umbridge asked.

"Yes, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge." Hopkirk answered. "A Patronus Charm has been reported to be done at Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey a few minutes ago

"Which action has been taken against Harry Potter for it?" Umbridge asked.

"N-none." Hopkirk answered. "He's not a suspect."

"Who besides him could be responsible for this?" Umbridge asked. "He's the only wizard who lives in the area."

"Harry Potter moved into his family's home in Godric's Hollow, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge." Hopkirk explained. "I was notified of the fact so he'd no longer be automatically regarded as the main suspect of every improper use of magic done at Privet Drive."

"Nonsense." Umbridge stated. "Potter still has family living there. No other wizard or witch has any reason to be in that muggle area."

"Well, I suppose I could send him a letter of inquiry." Hopkirk suggested.

"Just inquiry?" Umbridge asked. "Cornelius and I would be very displeased if you did nothing more."

"I've sent a subordinate to interrogate the Dursleys since they're the only muggles in the area who are allowed to know about the Wizarding World." Hopkirk added.

"I don't care for whatever tales some muggles will make up to protect their half-blood nephew." Umbridge said with a dismissive tone.

Meanwhile, Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived at Headmaster Dumbledore's office to report the latest development. "Kingsley, you did good by saving the Dursleys but it's regrettable they support Harry on his effort to sue the Ministry." The Headmaster commented.

"They're merely upset because, for better or worse, Sirius Black would have otherwise taken Mr. Potter from them." Professor McGonagall stated.

"As a half-blood who grew up in the muggle world and had a muggle father, I know for a fact that the mistakes caused by the witch hunters from old times have induced muggles into believing they must never be certain enough of a criminal's guilt to see it as a justification to deny them a chance to plead innocent." Professor Snape commented. "The Dursleys are merely acting upon that principle."

"They wouldn't care about anything that happened in our world if it didn't affect their chances of not having Mr. Potter with them and you must know that, Severus." Professor McGonagall commented. "After all, you had the displeasure of growing up in the same neighborhood as her."

"Any chances we can get the Dursleys to talk Harry out of the idea Black's trial-less imprisonment had ulterior motives, Kingsley?" Dumbledore asked.

"Impossible, Headmaster." Kingsley sadly replied. "They also believe there must have been some ulterior motive." He then looked at Snape. "Mr. Dursley even said it was witch hunter reasoning to avoid wasting time with a trial for the obviously guilty. Mrs. Dursley even added that, if those willing to rig an eventual trial on Black's favor could have done so, they'd be able to make a trial happen in the first place."

"Kingsley, have you already reported your usage of the Patronus Charm?" Dumbledore asked.

Meanwhile, Harry was having a meeting with a solicitor. "Mr. Potter, a hearing day has been set." The solicitor said as he showed Harry the official parchment. "Please show up there at least three hours earlier just in case the Ministry anticipates the hearing to make you late."

"Can they do that, Mr. Greengrass?" Harry asked in outrage.

"In theory, they can for as long as they send a forewarning before the new time set for the beginning no matter how much of a forewarning you get, Mr. Potter." Greengrass stated. "My only concern is your insistence in accusing Headmaster Dumbledore in spite of everything he did for you."

"Not _in spite_ of everything he did _for_ me but _because_ of everything he did _to_ me." Harry replied.

"Yes, you've already told me of your theory that Dumbledore pretended to fall for the frame-up Sirius Black was supposedly a victim of." Mr. Greengrass said. "You're already pushing your luck by accusing Peter Pettigrew of faking his death and framing Black. And besides, my daughter Daphne told me of the times Headmaster Dumbledore favored you at school."

"She doesn't know me." Harry defiantly stated.

"Everybody knows how Dumbledore suddenly gave enough points to you and your friends at the end-of-year feast to make Gryffindor go from last to first for your first year." Mr. Greengrass stated.

"The achievements we got those points for were more important than Dumbledore made them out to be and that made up for the time McGonagall unjustly docked fifty points from each of us for something she docked only _twenty_ points from Malfoy." Harry explained. "Now, did you get in contact with a tutor to teach me for my seventh year?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter." Mr. Greengrass answered. "Horace Slughorn agreed to teach you."

"Are you certain he's a good choice?" Harry asked.

"Not only he has connections, you'd also have an easier time learning potions from him than from Severus Snape." Mr. Greengrass explained. "Not only he doesn't have any animosities against any of your parents, he's also willing to teach those who got EE for Potions O.W.L.s as shown back when he used to be Hogwarts' Potions Master."

"What about my godfather's funeral?" Harry asked.

"Tomorrow at fifteen o'clock as you requested, Mr. Potter." Mr. Greengrass answered. "The Weasleys, the Grangers and the Longbottoms were invited."

Their conversation was then interrupted by a letter from Mafalda Hopkirk. "I thought I'd no longer have to worry about these once I left the Dursleys." Harry commented and then read the letter. "Perfect." He sarcastically stated. "Hokirk's saying somebody performed a Patronus Charm at Privet Drive and I'm being treated as a suspect because no other wizard or witch has anything to do with that place. I've never even been there ever since I've moved out."

"I'll talk to Madam Hopkirk and see what this is about." Mr. Greengrass stated. "It's probably a trick to persecute you but we'd better keep our suspicions between us."

The next day, Mr. Greengrass informed Harry that Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt used that Patronus charm and justified it by claiming the Dursleys were being attacked by Dementors and it seemed somebody wanted to keep him from suing the Ministry. Later that day, they held the funeral. Hermione was the first guest to appear. "Oh, Harry. Are you forgiving Sirius for what he did to your family?"

"No, Hermione." Harry answered. "I believe he's innocent."

"Harry, I understand it's wrong on the Ministry's part to deny an accused criminal a trial but the evidence is clear." Hermione pleaded.

"No, it's not and that's the real reason he was denied a trial." Harry replied.

"Harry, you cannot believe that!" Hermione was shocked.

"I don't blame him, Hermione." Her father commented. "I find it suspicious someone could be imprisoned without a trial."

"The evidence was clear and there was a war." Hermione explained.

"Lucius Malfoy was allowed a chance to say he was under the Imperius but Sirius Black wasn't allowed a chance to say he didn't do anything he was accused of doing." Harry argued. "If you don't see the unfairness of that, you probably agree with the Weasleys that the lawsuit I'm moving against the Ministry for denying him a trial is frivolous."

"Not at all, Harry." She explained. "Everyone should be allowed a trial. Hagrid would likely still be in Azkaban had you not found out about Tom Riddle back in our second year."

"Hi, Harry." Neville said.

"I'm glad you came, Neville." Harry commented and then looked around for Neville's Grandmother.

"My Gran thinks you're barmy for doubting Black's guilt and too strict for minding about the Ministry skipping a formality to minimize the chances of Black escaping justice." Neville said, explaining her absence.

"And she let you come?" Harry asked.

"I've been an adult for a day longer than you, Harry." Neville stated. "I've even bought my own wand so I'd no longer have to use my Dad's. Just don't tell Gran."

"Okay, Nev." Harry replied.

"Where are the Weasleys?" Neville asked. "I thought you'd invited them as well."

"They refused the invitation." Harry explained. "They're too certain of his guilt. Anyway, now it's time for me to give him a proper goodbye."

 **End chapter.**


	5. Trial

**Chapter 5: Trial**

It was finally the day Harry Potter would plead his case to the Wizengamot and demand a compensation for Sirius Black's wrongful imprisonment. Following his solicitor's advice, the both of them arrived three hours earlier. It turned out not to have been an hour too soon for a Ministry owl reached them as soon as they entered.

"Mr. Potter, the hearing is within the next two minutes!" Mr. Greengrass exclaimed upon reading the letter. "Hurry!"

To Fudge's dismay, Harry and his solicitor arrived on the nick of time. "I see you received the notification regarding the change of the hearing's time." The Minister commented after recovering from the surprise.

"Fortunately, we were already close enough to make up for the small forewarning we received, Minister." Harry's solicitor commented.

"Anyway, take your seats and let's start the proceedings." Fudge said hoping to dodge the subject. "The plaintiff, Harry James Potter, represented by solicitor Jonathan Marcus Greengrass, as the sole beneficiary of Sirius Orion Black's will, is suing the Ministry of Magic for Black's supposedly wrongful imprisonment." Everyone was shocked that someone was challenging Sirius Black's guilt in spite of having already heard rumors on that matter. "Overseeing this hearing is myself, Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge; Senior Undersecretary Dolores Jane Umbridge; Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Susan Bones; and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Court Scribe Percy Ignatius Weasley is recording the hearing." He then motioned for Harry and his solicitor to state the grounds for their case.

"There are three basic facts my client's case is based on." Mr. Greengrass stated. "First, as Sirius Orion Black's sole beneficiary, he's entitled to sue over any wrongs done to him. Second, Sirius Orion Black has been an Azkaban inmate from the Second of November, 1981 to his death on the Thirty-First of July, 1997 in spite of having never been brought to this august body to be tried for any crimes. Third, the evidence against Sirius Orion Black is so weak he's likely innocent of all crimes he was arrested for."

"Wait just a minute!" Fudge ordered and raised his hands in protest. "Yes, the decision to skip the formalities with Sirius Black's case might have been technically illegal since the law says every accused criminal should be allowed a trial but suggesting he's innocent is taking things too far."

"No, it's not." Mr. Greengrass argued. "My client's Godfather was accused of killing Peter Pettigrew but there's no proof that Pettigrew really died at the explosion Mr. Black was accused of causing."

Amelia Bones raised her wand. "Anything you'd like to declare, Madam Bones?" Fudge asked.

"Yes, Minister." Amelia answered and then glared at Mr. Greengrass. "It's one thing to challenge the legitimacy of Sirius Black's imprisonment or suggest he's innocent but you cannot deny that Peter Pettigrew is dead. Several witnesses confirmed it."

"Witnesses who never found enough of his body to actually confirm his demise." Mr. Greengrass argued.

"Hem Hem." The toad-faced woman previously identified as Dolores Jane Umbridge interrupted. "If Peter Pettigrew didn't die at the explosion, why didn't he let everyone know it?"

"To avoid being exposed as the real culprit behind the crimes Sirius Black was imprisoned for." Mr. Greengrass answered.

"Incorrect, Mr. Greengrass." Dumbledore replied. "The evidence against him is quite damning."

"For the record, which crimes was Sirius Orion Black was imprisoned for?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"Sirius Black betrayed the Potters' location to Voldemort, which makes me wonder why Harry would agree to defend him and vilify their martyr." Dumbledore commented. "He also killed Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles with a blasting hex."

"Who checked their wands for spells?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"It wasn't necessary to perform any wand checks because it was obvious what happened back then." Fudge answered. "Of course, it might have been required as a formality but there was no need since Black was the only wizard there who could have caused that explosion."

"I disagree." Mr. Greengrass stated. "Peter Pettigrew was also there and could have been the real mass-murderer."

"Are you really suggesting Peter Pettigrew killed himself?" Fudge asked.

"Either this or he faked his death." Mr. Greengrass suggested.

"Will you now suggest Pettigrew was the Potters' real betrayer?" Fudge sarcastically asked.

"I don't have to accuse anybody, Minister." Mr. Greengrass answered. " _You_ are the one who must prove Sirius Orion Black guilty."

"James and Lily Potter told me Sirius Black was their Secret-Keeper." Dumbledore stated.

"That's second-hand testimony and we cannot just assume they'd trust you with such an important secret." Mr. Greengrass argued. "After all, you trusted a Death Eater with a teaching position. A Death Eater James Potter particularly hated."

Headmaster Dumbledore then produced a piece of parchment. "Sirius Black wrote the secret into this piece of parchment to let me into it." He explained.

"Is the Secret-Keeper's presence necessary for the person reading the message to be let into the secret?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"Irrelevant!" Fudge protested. "We have no time to waste with details."

"Professor Dumbledore has established that the Potters' Secret-Keeper wrote the secret, Minister." Mr. Greengrass replied. "That question is necessary for the record."

"Relevance established." Amelia said before Fudge had the chance to come up with another excuse. "Answer the question, Chief Warlock."

"No." Dumbledore answered and then noticed everyone staring at him. "It's _not_ necessary."

"Did you see Sirius Black writing the secret?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"No but it doesn't matter." Dumbledore explained as he once again showed the parchment. "He signed it."

"Did you compare the calligraphy to check if it was indeed Sirius Black instead of someone else falsely using his name?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"Who else would James Potter name as Secret-Keeper?" Fudge asked.

"It's the Ministry's job to find out." Mr. Greengrass asked. "I have no evidence against anybody but the notion that Peter Pettigrew faked his death suggests he's the real traitor."

"Sirius Black was laughing madly when he was captured." Fudge argued. "He even confessed."

"That so-called confession was a vague statement that proved nothing more than that Sirius Black blamed himself for what happened. "Mr. Greengrass counter-argued. "He didn't say what he did to make anything his fault and even a real confession shouldn't be taken at face value since his sanity was being challenged."

"It was just a figure of expression when I said 'madly'." Fudge explained while sweating stunners. "I was no certified mind healer back then and it remains true now."

"And you didn't explain away the laughter." Umbridge added.

"Grief has strange effects on a person's mind and he'd just lost two friends were so close to him they named him Godfather to their son." Mr. Greengrass argued.

"We have several other witnesses who gave statements implicating Sirius Black as the Secret-Keeper." Dumbledore said.

"They merely overheard Peter Pettigrew saying Sirius Black was the Secret-Keeper." Mr. Greengrass replied. "Without Pettigrew's reasons to believe his statement, the other witnesses' testimony doesn't prove that Sirius Black was the Secret-Keeper or even that Peter Pettigrew genuinely believed so."

"What could Pettigrew hope to gain by lying to the person he supposedly lied about?" Fudge asked in exasperation.

"The witnesses weren't hiding their presences from either Black or Pettigrew." Mr. Greengrass stated.

"It's clear to me that you're an unscrupulous shyster who doesn't mind tarnishing a martyr's reputation for money." Fudge stated. "Any more statements before the court deliberates?"

"I resent the description of my character as an 'unscrupulous shyster' and object to Peter Pettigrew being described as a 'martyr'." Mr. Greengrass replied.

"In that case, let's vote." Fudge declared. Nearly three quarters of the Wizengamot sided with Harry. "The plaintiff wins. I hope those who voted for him did so under the belief that everyone should be allowed a trial and not under the misguided belief that Sirius Black might be innocent." Fudge commented. He then tried for the minimum value but the Wizengamot, with a smaller majority than with the previous decision, overruled him.

After the case was closed, Mr. Greengrass led Harry through a secret exit that'd keep reporters from finding them. Before they got out, however, they heard a voice interrupting them. "Harry Potter, your father would be disappointed in you."

"Mr. Potter, this is Bartemius Crouch." Harry's solicitor clarified.

"Then you have no right to complain since this is _your_ fault for sending my Godfather to Azkaban without a trial!" Harry angrily told Crouch.

"And you should have been grateful for my decision after what Sirius Black did to deserve it, Potter." Crouch replied.

"Had it been the real reason he was denied a trial, your _son_ and the Lestranges would have been the ones to receive this treatment." Harry commented and Crouch had the decency to look embarrassed for it.

"That was different." Crouch argued.

"True." Harry agreed with a glare. "After all, there's no need for subterfuges like the one employed against my Godfather when the accused's guilt is _really_ obvious."

"Are you saying I lied about my reason to deny Sirius Black a trial?" Crouch asked in outrage.

"YES!" Harry angrily shouted. "YOU SIMPLY DON'T CARE IF THOSE YOU SENT TO AZKABAN WERE REALLY CRIMINALS OR NOT FOR AS LONG AS IT MAKES PEOPLE SEE YOU AS YOU WANT THEM TO!"

"How dare you…"

"Mr. Potter, we have to leave." His solicitor said and they left unaware that a beetle was watching that meeting.

"Now, Mr. Potter, I believe my services will be concluded as soon as the compensation is deposited." His solicitor commented after they exited an abandoned muggle phone booth.

"Actually, Mr. Greengrass, there's something else I'd like your help with." Harry commented.

 **End chapter.**

 **Author's note: I made up the name 'Jonathan Marcus' for Mr. Greengrass.**


	6. Harry Isn't Done Yet

**Chapter 6: Harry Isn't Done Yet**

 _ **THE BOY-WHO SUES**_

 _By Rita Skeeter_

 _Under the belief that his family's betrayer Sirius Black is innocent, Harry Potter sued the Ministry for wrongful imprisonment. It turned out Potter was Black's sole beneficiary and that legally enables him to sue over 'wrongs' done to Black. While Black being denied a trial technically constituted a 'wrong' in spite of everything Black did to deserve this fate, Potter and his barrister made a case to convince the Wizengamot that Peter Pettigrew, who gave his life to stop Black, actually faked his death and framed Black. After the Wizengamot ruled on Potter's favor, Bartemius Crouch, who started this mess years ago as the then Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement by ordering Black's trial-less imprisonment, tried to shame our savior by invoking how James and Lily Potter would have felt but Potter turned the tables on Crouch by bringing up the fact that Crouch gave his son and the Lestranges a trial as a reason to believe Crouch was lying about his reason to deny Black the same treatment. They are Death Eaters who were caught red-handed using the Cruciatus Curse. Potter even dared to accuse Crouch of not caring if those he sent to Azkaban were really criminals or not._

 _For more details, see Pages 3 and 4._

Harry was satisfied with the news report as it called out Crouch's fault on this mess. "So, did you do as I asked?" Harry asked his solicitor.

"Yes, Mr. Potter." Mr. Greengrass asked as he gave Harry a piece of parchment. "Just sign here and the goblins will take one hundred thousand Galleons to offer to whoever proves that Peter Pettigrew didn't die at the explosion. But I must suggest you to reconsider. The Wizarding World will enter into chaos because of people trying to locate Pettigrew."

"Serves them right for not protesting enough or at all." Harry replied. "And it could be the only way to find the traitor since the Ministry refuses to look for him." He then started reading the parchment.

Meanwhile, Bartemius Crouch had just finished reading Skeeter's story. He was furious but there wasn't anything he thought he could do. After all, no matter how he described what he did, he held a trial for Death Eaters who were caught red-handed using the Cruciatus Curse on Frank and Alice Longbottom in spite of holding the obviousness of Sirius Black's guilt to deny him one. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Harry Potter genuinely doubted Black's guilt or if it was just an act to increase the compensation. "Oh, no!" He exclaimed upon remembering something important. He approached his son and pointed his wand at him. "Imperio!"

As per his dying wife's last request, Bartemius Crouch Senior broke Bartemius Crouch Junior out of prison and left her in Azkaban to cover for him, knowing the dementors would count the number of prisoners but couldn't tell if somebody else replaced an inmate. Mrs. Crouch's body was buried in Azkaban in Junior's grave and her funeral was a private ceremony so the Wizarding World wouldn't ask for her body. Unfortunately, Crouch had to keep his son under the Imperius Curse to keep Junior from going around to look for Voldemort. At least Potter already got what he wanted and would cause no further problem. Or so Crouch believed.

In the next day, Harry Potter once again made headlines.

 _ **BOY-WHO-LIVED OFFERS REWARD**_

 _By Rita Skeeter_

 _Still believing Peter Pettigrew to be alive but not hoping the Ministry will find or even look for him, Harry Potter offered a reward of one hundred thousand Galleons to whoever proves that Pettigrew didn't die at the explosion. The reward is being guaranteed by the Gringotts goblins._

 _For details on what Peter Pettigrew used to look like before his supposed death, read page 2._

"Preposterous!" Cornelius Fudge exclaimed in outrage. "We must do something about the Potter brat's attention-seeking tendencies. The people must understand that Peter Pettigrew is dead."

"Or at the very least that there's no hope of finding someone who left no clues for over ten years, Cornelius." Dolores Umbridge suggested.

Dirk Cresswell then entered the Minister's office. "Cresswell, what's the meaning of this?" Fudge asked. "How dare you enter her like that?"

"I'm sorry, Minister, but I must inform you that most wizards and witches under my department quit." Dirk replied.

"Are they tired of working for someone of low birth?" Umbridge asked with a sneer.

"Had this been the case, they could have just transferred to other departments to fill in the vacancies." Dirk commented.

"Vacancies?" Fudge and Umbridge asked.

"Yes." Dirk answered. "Several wizards and witches in other departments quit to look for Peter Pettigrew and the number of employees calling in sick and/or coming up with other excuses to skip work has increased considerably."

"Pettigrew is dead!" Fudge exclaimed.

"And he'd have probably already left the country if he wasn't." Dirk added.

"Yes, the fools who believe in Potter's lies should have figured out at least this much." Umbridge reasoned.

"What can we do, Minister?" Dirk desperately asked. "The departments are too understaffed to operate with efficiency."

"We could have Potter arrested for destabilizing the Ministry." Fudge suggested.

"Potter merely offered a reward for Pettigrew, Minister." Dirk argued. "It's not his fault Ministry employees chose to quit their jobs hoping to increase their chances of getting it." He then noticed the glares from Fudge and Umbridge. "Or so he could say at the Wizengamot. I don't think the people would be so accepting of Potter being denied a trial as of Black being denied one."

"I'm afraid Cresswell has a point, Cornelius." Umbridge reluctantly agreed.

"Then how about we talk Dumbledore into asking Harry to call it off?" Fudge suggested. "The boy would certainly listen to the Headmaster."

"He didn't listen when the Headmaster tried to talk him out of the lawsuit." Dirk replied.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore was getting his own troubles from the reward offer. "Headmaster." Deputy Headmistress McGonagall called for him as she entered his office with two envelopes.

"Two more potential seventh-years saying they won't return this year, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked with a bored tone.

"Yes, Albus." She answered. "Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle this time."

"The more it pains me to say it from Slytherins, they're no big loss." Professor Snape commented.

"Severus, you said the same thing about every other student who decided not to return this term." Dumbledore commented.

"Any dunderheads willing to give up their chance on education to join a wild goose chase are no big loss as far as I'm concerned." Snape said. "Potter is not an attention-seeking brat like his father. He's worse. I can hardly wait to get him in detention this year."

"Actually, Severus, Harry Potter elected to be home schooled this time." Dumbledore sadly explained.

"Again, no big loss." Severus stated with some happiness over the fact he's free from Harry one year earlier than expected.

Meanwhile, at Remus Lupin's house, he received an unexpected visitor. "Dung?"

 **End chapter.**


	7. Plans

**Chapter 7: Plans**

"Mum, is that true?" Ron eagerly asked. "Is there really a hundred-thousand-Galleon reward for Pettigrew's capture?"

"Not for his capture but for proof that he didn't die at the explosion, Ronald." His mother explained.

"Awesome!" Ron exclaimed. "Where do I look first?"

"NOWHERE!" Molly shouted. "Peter Pettigrew is dead and I won't let you waste your time with this. You have to return to Hogwarts tomorrow."

The Weasley twins then showed up. "And besides, there's too much of a competition considering the number of Ministry workers who either quit…" Fred said.

"or made up excuses to skip work." George added.

"And what are the both of you doing here?" Molly asked with a frown. "Shouldn't you be at the Ministry? Don't tell me you also quit?"

"No, mother." Both of them answered. "We took earlier vacations."

"Were you allowed to in spite of the Ministry being understaffed?" Molly skeptically asked.

"Well, it might have had something to do with…" Fred answered.

"my slightly less beautiful brother and me offering to pull some pranks as a stress reliever." George completed.

"And now we'll go Pettigrew-hunting!" The twins declared.

"May I go with you?" Ron asked.

"NO!" Molly angrily shouted. "AND YOU AREN'T GOING EITHER, FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY! MY HOME, MY RULES!"

"Fine." The twins replied. "We move."

"No, you don't." Molly said. "You have no place to go."

"Two words." The twins argued. "Leaky Cauldron."

"Think about it, boys." Their father pleaded. "Even if Peter Pettigrew is alive and hiding somewhere, you shouldn't risk your futures on the off chance it'll be you who find him. How do we even know he's still in England after all those years?"

"BECAUSE HE'S _DEAD_!" Molly angrily shouted.

"A hundred thousand Galleons says otherwise and we're going after him." The twins said.

"Me too." Ron added.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! YOU MUST GO BACK TO HOGWARTS! IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH YOUR BROTHERS!" His mother angrily declared.

Deciding that no amount of money the twins were willing to share with him would be worth enduring their constant pranking, Ron decided to obey his mother.

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Dumbledore received an unexpected visitor. "Remus?" Dumbledore asked.

"What's the meaning of this?" Remus Lupin asked as he showed Dumbledore a Prophet headline about the reward offered by Harry. "How can Harry think Peter Pettigrew faked his death and framed Sirius Black?"

"Harry doesn't understand that the evidence against Black was clear, Remus." Dumbledore sadly explained. "He not only thinks Sirius Black is innocent but also that the Ministry only pretended to think otherwise."

"Black confessed!" Remus said.

"Harry deems that confession too vague to be valid." Dumbledore said without the usual eye twinkle.

"He said it was his fault!" Remus exclaimed. "What else would Harry want?"

"Harry says he won't acknowledge a confession where Black didn't say what makes those deaths his fault." Dumbledore answered. "As far as he's concerned, Black only blamed himself for what happened."

"As he should." Remus frowned. "Can't you talk to him?"

"I've tried, Remus." Dumbledore was even sadder now. "Unfortunately, Harry sees the worst in my actions regarding Black and accuses me of pretending to have fallen for Peter's supposed trickery."

"What about the Dursleys?" Remus asked. "I know Lily had a low opinion of her sister but they must have tried to talk some sense into Harry."

"They side with the brat." Snape replied with a frown. The Potions Master was only there because he hoped to see something he could hold as an excuse to get Remus in trouble. "They see what the Ministry did to Black as too similar to what the witch hunters did whenever they mistook some of their fellow muggles for wizards and witches."

"Sirius Black didn't deserve a trial!" Remus protested.

"It's not a matter of deserving or not deserving, Lupin." Snape commented. "The law says every accused criminal should be allowed a trial and Potter agrees with it."

"Headmaster, can't you talk some sense into Harry once he returns for his seventh year?" Remus asked.

"The brat isn't returning." Snape happily commented.

"What?" Remus asked in shock.

"Unfortunately, Harry elected to be home-schooled for what was supposed to be his seventh year at Hogwarts." Dumbledore answered.

"Perhaps I can talk to him." Remus suggested. "Where do the Dursleys live again?"

"Harry no longer lives with them, Remus." Dumbledore answered. "He moved back to Godric's Hollow."

' _His parents' former home.' Remus thought._ "I'll go talk to him."

After leaving the castle, Remus went to Godric's Hollow and didn't know what to feel upon seeing James and Lily's restored home. He eventually knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Harry asked.

"I am Remus Lupin, an old friend of your parents, Harry." Remus answered.

"I've heard of a Remus Lupin but we never met." Harry replied. "Why do you call me by my given name? Why did we never meet before? And why should I believe you _are_ Remus Lupin?"

"We never met because Dumbledore advised me against meeting the Dursleys." Lupin explained.

"Of course." Harry muttered. "Dumbledore didn't want the Dursleys to know they weren't my last available family."

"What?"

"None of your business unless you prove you're Remus Lupin and have a good excuse to have stayed out of my life in spite of your supposed friendship with my parents." Harry sharply replied. "At least Sirius Black had his wrongful imprisonment as an excuse."

"That's what I'm here to talk about, Mr. Potter." Remus replied. "I know the Dursleys probably weren't ideal guardians but don't you think you're taking your revenge against Dumbledore too far by pretending you think Peter framed Black? At least for your parents' memories, call off that insane reward."

"I understand it now." Harry replied. "The Ministry sent you here! Fudge wants to be seen doing things like he did when he had Hagrid arrested as the Heir of Slytherin."

"What?"

"So tell Fudge, Dumbledore, or whoever else sent you that, if they want the search to stop, they must find Pettigrew or at least enough of his body to convince me that he's really dead." Harry demanded.

"There's only a finger left because Black destroyed the rest of Peter's body, Harry." Remus pleaded.

"Wrong!" Harry argued. "There's only a finger left because Peter Pettigrew cut it off and left it at the explosion to fake his death! Now get out of here before I decide to force you."

Remus sadly left and told his tale to Dumbledore. "Headmaster? What did Harry mean by Hagrid being arrested as the Heir of Slytherin so Fudge could be seen doing things?"

Dumbledore then told Remus about the Chamber of Secrets incident. "And you couldn't push the Ministry into allowing Hagrid a trial?" Remus asked. "In Black's case I understood you wouldn't do it given what Black did but you certainly knew Hagrid was innocent."

"My priority was finding the true culprit so not only Hagrid would be cleared but the students would be safe, Remus." Dumbledore explained. "It also cleared Hagrid of what got him expelled fifty years earlier and now he's allowed to do magic again. He's now the Professor of Care of Magical Creatures."

"It explains why Harry doesn't trust the Ministry but why wouldn't he trust you?" Remus asked but then figured out. "Does he resent you for forcing him to live with the Dursleys? Does he think you merely pretend to think Black is guilty?"

"Sadly, the answer to both questions is 'yes', Remus?" Dumbledore commented.

"No wonder he grew up disturbed, Headmaster." Remus commented in exasperation. "I'm surprised I never heard any protests from the Dursleys demanding a trial for Black. They already knew about Black from the beginning, didn't they?"

Dumbledore's silence told Remus everything. "For Merlin's sake, Headmaster! Petunia is Lily's sister! If that was enough to make you entrust Harry to her, it should have been enough to give her the right to know about Black? Were you afraid she'd try to get him out so he'd take Harry away from her?"

"Petunia didn't need to know, Remus." Dumbledore argued.

"Well, I think I already took too much of your time, Headmaster." Remus stated. "Goodbye."

 **Time skip to September, 1** **st**

There was a considerable shortage of seventh-year students that term because Harry Potter didn't want to face judgement from others and several potential students chose to look for Pettigrew, much to the relief of Ron Weasley's pet rat Scabbers, who was secretly Peter Pettigrew in his Animagus form. "Has anyone here seen Crabbe and/or Goyle?" Draco Malfoy asked.

"They chose not to attend this year, Mr. Malfoy." Professor Snape stated.

"Don't tell me they're wasting time looking for Peter Pettigrew." Malfoy asked. "He could be anywhere in the world by now."

"Do you really believe Pettigrew is alive?" Snape asked in surprise. As much surprise as he's able to show, at least.

"One would assume his body would have been eventually found once he died for real, Sir." Malfoy explained. "After all, no wizard is so weak he could die from losing a finger. Potter probably got it correct."

"Anyway, I am not allowed to disclose other potential students' reasons to refuse to return, Mr. Malfoy." Snape formally stated. "Even if to a Prefect."

 **End chapter.**


	8. Crouch

**Chapter 8: Crouch**

Rita Skeeter decided it was time for new material regarding the controversy Harry Potter caused by questioning Sirius Black's guilt. Of course, there was the news of Harry refusing to returning to Hogwarts and she made good use of it by implying it meant Harry got disappointed in Dumbledore for not defending Sirius' right to a trial but that kind of side news runs old too quickly.

She then remembered of Crouch's son and how the favoritism Crouch showed by giving Junior and the Lestranges a trial in spite of claiming Sirius Black was denied the same treatment for being obviously guilty was taken by Harry as a sign Crouch only pretended to think Sirius was guilty. She really hoped Harry wouldn't become a rival of hers in journalism since she didn't want to compete with someone smart enough to come up with the idea that Crouch denied Sirius a trial because he wanted to be seen as someone who sent Death Eaters to prison more than he wanted to actually send Death Eaters to prison and that Barty Junior and the Lestranges received a trial because the evidence against them was strong enough to eliminate the need for 'subterfuges' like denying them one.

By what Skeeter recalled, Junior died soon after a visit from his parents and his mother died after that. Back then, nobody suspected a thing because Mrs. Crouch was already ill. However, she remembered Crouch held a private funeral with no one but himself in attendance. Could it be that Junior and his mother used something like Polyjuice to switch identities and Crouch helped?

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, The Gryffindor Quidditch Team was holding tryouts. Ron Weasley believed his position as the team's Keeper was secure because fellow Gryffindor Keeper Cormac McLaggen was already graduated and the other Gryffindors didn't like McLaggen that much. He then saw something unexpected: his little sister Ginny was also there. "Ginny? What're you doing here?"

"I'm trying to become the team's Seeker, Ron." Ginny explained.

Ron didn't believe it. "Ginny, I'll understand if you're trying to get back at Harry for not returning or hoping he'll return if he thinks the team is desperate enough to settle for you as the Seeker, but we cannot jeopardize our chances of winning the Quidditch Cup like that." He commented.

Ginny was furious. "Ronald Weasley, you'd better not to underestimate me." She threatened. "I can play Quidditch as well as you or any of our brothers except perhaps for the twins!"

"Ronald, it'd be unfair to dismiss her without even letting her try." The team's Captain stated. "If no other applicant bests her, she's in."

"The previous Captain put me as Reserve Seeker last term for a reason." Ginny proudly declared.

"Because he's your boyfriend." Ron accused her.

Ginny was so furious she reminded her brother what Professor Snape gave her a detention at the beginning of the previous term for: a Bat-Bogey Hex. "I bested everybody else who applied for the position!"

"There probably wasn't much of a competition." Ron muttered upon recovering from the hex. Some people simply didn't know when to shut up.

Meanwhile, Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore were discussing what the former heard from Draco Malfoy. "Severus, there's no need to overthink it." The Headmaster commented. "Lucius Malfoy probably just wanted his son to think Sirius Black was innocent as part of a plan to make Draco think he'd have to become a Death Eater to avoid Black's fate."

"That's too clever even for Lucius, Headmaster." Snape commented. "Lucius just wanted an excuse not to admit he couldn't help Sirius or that he would abandon a fellow Death Eater if convenient. It almost makes up for the fact Potter got Black's money. Black probably just wanted a beneficiary who wouldn't kill him for the inheritance."

"It does sounds like a precaution one would deem necessary when related to the Malfoys." Dumbledore agreed. "My only worry is that, once Voldemort returns, young Draco might fear he'll be wrongfully sent to Azkaban as a Death Eater unless he actually becomes one."

"The worst part is that I cannot even blame Potter for it because Lucius has been plating that Sirius is innocent scenario into Draco's mind way before the brat decided to use it to satisfy his attention-seeking tendencies." Snape commented. "I wonder what else Skeeter will make up to take advantage of the chaos Potter caused."

The answer came the next day when the Daily Prophet published her story about how Barty Crouch 'probably' broke his son out of Azkaban and used the boy's mother to keep the breakout a secret. "I knew Rita Skeeter was a liar but I didn't expect her to make up such a tale." Ron commented at the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Crouch should have thought about that before he favored his son." Neville replied with a frown.

"What're you talking about, Neville?" Dean Thomas asked.

"Barty Junior and the other Death Eaters with him were caught red-handed using the Cruciatus Curse on my parents and yet _they_ had a trial." Neville explained. "Harry invoked it as a reason to believe Crouch the Elder lied about his reason to deny Sirius Black a trial."

Meanwhile, Amelia Bones and Kingsley Shacklebolt were visiting Bartemius Crouch Senior. "Madam Bones, Auror Shacklebolt, what can I do for you?" He asked.

"Have you read today's Prophet, Crouch?" Amelia asked.

"I have better things to do than to read Rita Skeeter's lies, Madam Bones." Crouch snorted.

"You should read this one since it's about you, your wife and your _son_." Amelia explained as she showed the story.

Crouch read it and suddenly grew worried at how close Rita Skeeter came to the truth. He then remembered something important and ran to Junior's hiding spot to give the boy a new dose of the Imperius Curse. Crouch Senior was then caught by Amelia's disarming spell while Kingsley put him into a full body-bind. Winky the House-Elf tried to stop them but was easily subdued.

"Bartemius Crouch Senior, you are under arrest for breaking an Azkaban inmate out of prison, harboring a fugitive, and for using an Unforgivable." Amelia Bones declared and then turned her attention to Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Auror Shacklebolt, signal for reinforcements."

News of Bartemius Crouch Junior being alive and being arrested with his father soon became known through the Wizarding World. Harry Potter was quite happy at Crouch's misfortune. "Serves him right." He commented. "If not for him, my Godfather would've kept me safe from the Dursleys. I hope they throw him at Azkaban's dirtiest cell and throw away the key."

"All cells are so dirty one can barely tell the difference, Mr. Potter." Professor Slughorn commented.

"Then I hope they throw him at Sirius Black's former cell and throw away the key" Harry hoped. "It'll serve as further justice."

"We can meet the Minister and request for it to happen, Mr. Potter." Slughorn suggested.

"Wouldn't Fudge refuse?" Harry asked. "I'm not exactly his favorite person now that I've questioned my Godfather's guilt."

"Don't worry, Mr. Potter." Slughorn reassured his pupil. "I know someone who, given the latest development, can make this request without being denied.

While Harry Potter was happy at the Crouches' downfall, the Longbottoms were having an opposite reaction. "How could he do that?" Neville furiously asked.

"How could who do what, Neville?" Ginny Weasley asked.

"Bartemius Crouch did break his son out of Azkaban as Skeeter suggested." Neville answered while carelessly tossing the Prophet at her direction. "He knew what his son and the Lestranges did to my parents and yet he broke Junior out!"

"It further proves that Bartemius Crouch was pretending to think Sirius Black was a Death Eater." Ginny commented.

"No, Ginny." Ron argued. "It only shows that Crouch used to play favorites. It doesn't change the fact that Sirius Black was as guilty as expected from his family."

"Actually, Ronald, Harry showed me a copy of the transcript of the hearing where he requested compensation for Black's wrongful imprisonment and I do agree that Sirius Black wasn't necessarily guilty." Hermione replied. "It might be an exaggeration to say Crouch was pretending but the best I can think of him is that he jumped to conclusions like when Fudge sent Hagrid to Azkaban to be seen doing things."

"Is that true about Crouch Junior being alive?" Dean asked. "The switcheroo he and his Mum are said to have pulled sounds even more farfetched than the love potion Hermione supposedly used Harry Potter and Viktor Krum. No offence."

"Actually, Aunt Amelia sent me an owl telling me of this." Susan Bones explained. "She voiced Crouch's arrest herself. She asked me not to tell until the Prophet published it."

"Great." Ron sarcastically commented. "Now there'll be more people under the delusion that Peter Pettigrew is alive."

"Actually, I'm starting to believe it myself." Susan commented.

"Had something like this happened in America, people would develop a newfound hope for Elvis Presley." Dean commented.

"Who's that?" Ron asked. The muggleborns deigned to explain but he lost interested upon hearing Elvis was an "American muggle singer".

Both Bartys were eventually brought to the Wizengamot. If there was one person there happier than Harry Potter, that was Rita Skeeter. Her credibility grew so much she probably could get away with claiming two plus two equaled five. Even the Death Eaters who cheated justice in spite of Crouch's efforts (as opposed to those who cheated justice _because_ of them, namely Death Eaters whose crimes Crouch sent innocents to Azkaban for) were merely smug. "Bartemius Crouch Senior, what do you have to say?" Minister Fudge asked.

"I had to grant my wife's dying request, Minister." Crouch sobbed.

"You wouldn't allow my Godfather a chance to plead innocent yet you broke your confirmed Death Eater son from Azkaban." Harry angrily protested. "I hope you're locked away at Sirius' old cell!"

"Me too." Augusta Longbottom added, sealing Crouch's fate. Considering what Junior did to her grandson's parents, Augusta's request wouldn't be denied.

"This is your fault, Potter!" Crouch screamed. "Nothing of this would be happening had you not challenged Sirius Black's guilt!"

"Crouch, you cannot blame Harry Potter for something you did when he was barely two years old!" Fudge sternly replied and then noticed Ludovic "Ludo" Bagman standing up. "Do you have anything to add, Mr. Bagman?"

"Yes, Minister." Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, answered. "I'd like to point out that Bertha Jorkins' sudden change of behavior took place during one of the times her job required her to visit Crouch. I wonder if she stumbled into their secret and he used some spell on her because of that. It was him who talked me out of having her checked for spells back when I started noticing her absentmindedness."

"I confess!" With everything else that'd been revealed, Crouch saw no point in hiding his relatively 'minor' crime. "She found out Junior is alive and I had to make sure she wouldn't tell anybody."

Fudge then decided it was time to announce the Crouches' fates. "As everyone here knows Bartemius Crouch Junior's original crimes and his conviction isn't being challenged…" Fudge gave a pause to see if Harry would say anything. "I propose that, in face of the danger Junior posed by escaping, he should be given the Dementor's kiss. All in favor raise your wands!" He noticed all Wizengamot members voted for the idea. "As a formality, I must ask who's against it." Nobody said or did anything. "It's unanimous! Bring in the Dementor!" A Dementor showed up and sucked Junior's soul. Crouch Senior turned away his gaze to avoid watching it. "Bartemius Crouch Senior, do you have anything to say before I ask the Wizengamot to vote your fate?" He asked.

"No, Minister." Crouch sadly answered.

Fudge then called a vote for the Cruciatus, the assisted breakout, harboring a fugitive, and the memory charm. "We have another unanimity! For the Unforgivable, you shall serve a life sentence in Azkaban. Plus 30 years for breaking a Death Eater out of Azkaban plus 5 years for an illegal memory charm plus 10 years for harboring a fugitive. Take him away, guards, and send him to Sirius Black's former cell!" He ordered and then maliciously directed his attention to Crouch. "You should be grateful for it, Crouch. I've been told your wife's grave in Azkaban can be seen from your new home."

For different reasons, both Harry and Augusta were satisfied with Crouch's just desserts.

 **End chapter.**


	9. Quidditch

**Chapter 9: Quidditch**

"I can't believe it!" Ron commented. "Our match against the Slytherin team is about to begin and Harry Potter hasn't returned yet."

"Why did you think he would, Weasley?" One of the Gryffindor Beaters asked.

"Because I sent a letter informing him we were so out of options we gave his spot to my little sister." Ron explained. "I even told him he didn't have to worry about people hating him over his delusion about Black being innocent since the attention he called to Crouch helped hiding an escaped Death Eater."

"Weasley, you shouldn't underestimate Ginny." The Gryffindor Captain told him. They then went to the Quidditch pitch for the match.

"And Slytherin has the Quaffle!" Luna Lovegood commented. "The Gryffindor chasers must be suffering a nargle invasion."

"Why do I still let her narrate?" Professor McGonagall asked no one in particular.

"Because you hate Mr. Smith's partiality against my snakes." Professor Snape answered.

"That's _one_ of my reasons, Severus." She begrudgingly answered.

"Slytherin throws the Quaffle at a goal hop and… Weasley catches it!" Luna said. "He must have some nargle-repellant."

The Gryffindors were too happy with Ron's defense to care about Luna's looniness.

"And Gryffindor has the Quaffle!" Luna said and then noticed something else. "It seems the Gryffindor Seeker is about to catch the Golden Snitch."

It was indeed true but then a Slytherin Chaser got in the way between Ginny and the Snitch. "Never mind. Someone blocked her."

"Blocking! Blocking! Blocking!" Several viewers shouted because of the foul and the match was interrupted.

The teams eventually resumed the match. Ginny Weasley eventually spotted the Snitch again and tried to catch it but Draco Malfoy stopped her by grabbing her broom's tail. "Blagging! Blagging! Blagging!" The same viewers from before shouted in protest.

Several minutes and fouls later, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team was winning by 130 x 10 until Ginny eventually caught the Golden Snitch. "Game over!" Luna announced. "Gryffindor: 280. Slytherin 10. It seems the nargles were on Gryffindor's side this time."

The Gryffindor fans started singing to celebrate.

 _Weasley is our King_

 _Weasley is our King_

 _He didn't let the Quaffle in_

 _Weasley is our King_

 _Weasley can save anything_

 _He never leaves a single ring_

 _That's why Gryffindors all sing_

 _Weasley is our King_

"Cheaters never win." Ginny declared after they landed.

"Says you!" Draco replied and pointed his wand at Ginny.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall interrupted the Slytherin Seeker. "You're not being a sore loser. Are you?"

"N-no, Professor McGonagall." Malfoy fearfully replied as he placed his wand back inside his holster.

"Good." She sternly replied but kept an eye at the sore loser either way.

After the Gryffindor Team's victory party, Ron Weasley set himself to write a letter. "Writing to Mum and Dad?" Ginny asked.

"No, Ginny." He answered. "I'm writing to Harry to tell him we were lucky enough to win in spite of not having him as our Seeker but he needs to return on time to play against Ravenclaw."

"Don't you mean 'Hufflepuff'?" Ginny asked.

"No, Ginny." Ron replied. "I really mean Ravenclaw. Without McLaggen to ruin things for our team, Hufflepuff has no chances against us even without Harry around."

"True that." Ginny commented while laughing and then noticed something wrong. "I thought Scabbers would be better by now."

"Me too." Ron said. "I should owl-order more tonic."

Unbeknownst to the siblings, their pet rat Scabbers a.k.a. Peter Pettigrew was worried about Crouch's arrest. While what Crouch did to be arrested for had nothing to do with him, it only came to light because Harry Potter called the Ministry out for not properly investigating his case. So many people were looking for him that he'd rather return to Voldemort for protection but to do so would require him to venture outside Hogwarts castle, where there wasn't anyone looking for him. Peter Pettigrew knew it was a matter of time until Ronald Weasley left Hogwarts grounds and he had until then to decide: should he hide himself in one of the castle's rat holes; or should he scurry around looking for Voldemort and hope to find his master before some bounty hunter finds him?

Meanwhile, Professor Snape was lecturing his team. "Draco Malfoy, you are an adult now. You can't simply hex your opponents whenever they defeat you."

"My father would never let anyone punish me." Draco arrogantly replied.

"There'll be a day he won't be able to protect you, Malfoy." Snape stated.

"I hope it's not during our match against the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team." A student commented. His reaction to Snape's glare made most students in the room think their Potions Master could cast a wandless Cruciatus.

"What I mean to tell is that all of you will need your own connections for when your parents are no longer alive." Snape explained.

"So the Ministry will have to prove us guilty unlike what they did with Sirius Black." Another student commented and Snape was shocked. It seemed the whole Slytherin Quidditch Team grew up believing Sirius Black to be innocent and that to be the real reason he was denied a trial. "Potter is correct about the evidence against Black being too weak to convict him without subterfuges."

"I can't believe it!" Snape exclaimed.

"My father said you already hated Black to the point it'd blind you to the possibility of him being innocent but I didn't know it was that grave." Draco commented. "After all, Potter exposed the grounds to doubt Black's guilt."

"Do you believe that attention-seeking brat?" Snape asked.

"Do you really believe he's an attention-seeker?" Malfoy asked. "The fame he got for supposedly defeating the Dark Lord already did the attention-seeking for him and he hated it. It was like he was oblivious to his fame until he received his first Hogwarts letter and knew no more about our world than a Mud… muggleborn. Which is odd because the muggles who raised him already knew about the Wizarding World."

Snape furiously dismissed them and then started pondering over what they told him. He knew Petunia hated magic but he didn't expect her to keep him oblivious to it. He was certain Dumbledore pressured the Dursleys into spoiling the brat and that there would be some special training. Could it be that Potter's dunderheadness or at least a good part of it was because he didn't know about the Wizarding World any earlier than the average muggleborn?

 **End chapter.**


	10. Musings

**Chapter 10: Musings**

Harry Potter had just finished reading Ron's letter and couldn't help but laugh. _'What's up with him? Does he really think Quidditch means that much to me? It was more about the freedom feeling that I used to get from flying. I no longer need it now that I'm away from the Dursleys for good. I'm even free from Snape and got a Potions Master who reminded me how much I looked forward potions before my first lesson.'_

Meanwhile, Remus Lupin was at the Ministry headquarters to answer a summons made my Amelia Bones. "Mr. Lupin, I'm glad you came." She said. "I assume you know why I called you."

"You probably hope I can convince Harry to call off that wild goose chase he started." Remus commented. "I've already tried but unfortunately he wouldn't listen."

"Actually, I want to see if you know anything that could help us locate Peter Pettigrew." She explained.

"What?" Remus asked in shock. "Peter is _dead_!"

"I'm not so certain of this, Mr. Lupin." She replied. "Do you have any idea of where he could be hidden?"

Believing that Peter was really dead and that anyone looking for him is wasting their time, Remus decided not to tell about the Animagus transformation. "I don't know anything that could help with your waste of time, Madam Bones."

"I hope you're not lying just because you think he's dead, Mr. Lupin." She commented.

Meanwhile, former Hogwarts Potions Master returned to visit his successor. "Professor Slughorn, what do I owe this visit to?" Snape asked.

"First of all, Severus, I'm appalled at what I heard of your teaching methods." Slughorn explained.

"What did Potter say?" Snape asked.

"I'm not telling you who told me of how you teach but I was told you won't teach safety tips to the first years." Slughorn replied. "Don't you remember the importance I stressed into you and your year-mates about this back when _you_ were a first year student?"

"The students' parents should have told them the basics." Snape argued.

"What about the muggleborns and other students raised by muggles, Severus?" Slughorn asked. "They didn't have anyone to teach them about that or anything else regarding the Magical World."

"Potter's muggle guardians already knew about the Wizarding World and I'm certain Headmaster Dumbledore or someone ordered by him gave the brat some special training." Snape dismissed Slughorn's concerns.

"This is not about any specific individuals, Severus." Slughorn pleaded. "Safety measures should be the first thing to be taught to first year students. And there's something else that bothers me. You punished a student for not warning a classmate about something the punished student shouldn't be reasonably expected to pay attention to."

"Potter was just trying to look good." Snape argued.

"And you immediately figured out it was about him." Slughorn said. "I think you're just looking for excuses to punish him for being James Potter's son."

"If you don't mind, Sir, I have essays to review." Snape steely said.

"Just think over what I said, Severus." Slughorn replied as he left.

Meanwhile, Amelia Bones was being notified of two wizards who were arrested. "Auror, I want a report."

"Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle are under arrest for breaking and entering the house of Peter Pettigrew's mother, Director Bones." Auror John Dawlish reported. "They claimed they were trying to force her to say where Peter Pettigrew is hiding."

' _Another headache.' She thought._

"It's all Potter's fault!" Mrs. Pettigrew exclaimed. "It's his fault for throwing my son's good name into the mud."

"Mrs. Pettigrew, I believe you can end this by allowing our Aurors to search through your house." Amelia Bones suggested.

"We are already looking for cursed items the intruders might have left behind, Director Bones." Dawlish replied.

"I hope that, while you're at it, you look for Pettigrew or at least some clue to his whereabouts." Bones commented.

"Preposterous!" Mrs. Pettigrew exclaimed in outrage. "Minister Fudge assured me that the Ministry wouldn't fall for Potter's fallacies."

Fudge then showed up. _'Speaking of the Devil' Bones thought._ "Good afternoon, Mrs. Pettigrew." He said. "It's regrettable we're not meeting in more pleasant circumstances." He then turned his attention to Amelia Bones. "Bones, what's this I'm hearing about Aurors arresting decent people?" He asked.

"Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle broke into Mrs. Pettigrew's home to look for her son, Minister." She explained.

"Bones, it's not their fault they fell for Potter's lies." Fudge argued.

"Believing that Peter Pettigrew is alive is no excuse to commit crimes to look for him." Amelia counter-argued. "We must punish those who break the law looking for Pettigrew to discourage others from doing the same."

"Point taken, Amelia." Fudge conceded while trying to come up with a punishment that would neither be too soft to discourage others nor hard enough to make their parents stop supporting him. He eventually decided not to care about the second part since neither father was a Malfoy level of rich.

During their next private lesson, Professor Slughorn was amazed at Harry's proficiency for someone who didn't take Potions lessons for the sixth year. "You did a wonderful job catching up, Mr. Potter." Slughorn commented. "Have you thought about entering the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"The Most what?" Harry asked and Slughorn then explained what that society was and who founded it. "Hector Dagworth- _Granger_?"

"Anything wrong with that name?" Slughorn asked.

"No, Sir." Harry answered. "I just remembered my friend Hermione Granger."

"Are they related?" Slughorn asked out of hope for a new connection.

"I don't think so." Harry commented. "She's a muggleborn."

"Still a possibility." Slughorn replied. "The theory that muggleborns are descendants of squibs has yet to be disproven. But what about you joining the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"Would Snape feel upset?" Harry eagerly asked.

"If he hates the idea of you triumphing as a Potioneer, yes." Slughorn answered and Harry's smile convinced him that it was the right answer.

The news of Crabbe and Goyle's arrest eventually made its way to Hogwarts thanks to the Daily Prophet. "Harry's paranoia about Peter Pettigrew was good for another thing." Ron commented. "Two Death Eaters in training were arrested. I bet they don't even believe Pettigrew is alive and just wanted an excuse to torment the bloke's mother."

An own then brought Ron a letter from his mother.

 _Dear Ronniekins,_

 _Things are so chaotic outside Hogwarts because of Potter's delusions you and Ginny had better stay in the castle for Christmas. Your father and I are going to visit Charlie in Romania. Happy Christmas._

 _Hugs and kisses,_

 _Molly Weasley_

Peter Pettigrew was relieved for having more safe time inside Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore was reading the news. "I hope the news of their arrest makes Harry regret starting this insanity." The Headmaster commented.

"Potter won't care unless it happens to friends of his." Snape arrogantly replied.

 **End chapter.**


	11. Christmas

**Chapter 11: Christmas**

Peter "Scabbers" Pettigrew was glad to have more time before he was forced to leave the safety of Hogwarts and go somewhere people would look for him to collect Harry Potter's reward. _'It's still not widely known I am a Rat Animagus.' He thought. 'This means Remus Lupin, the only other person who knows my secret, refuses to divulge it.'_

"Scabbers, you look tense." Ron commented. "Should I owl-order more tonic?"

"You should try something else, Ron." Neville suggested. "You've been trying it the whole term and it's not helping much if any. It's like he's afraid people looking for Peter Pettigrew will suddenly show up."

"Don't joke with that, Neville." Ron protested. "Harry already caused too much confusion with that crazy tale. Of course, there was the upside of a Death Eater being exposed but it's such a side effect it barely counts."

"What about Crabbe and Goyle being in Azkaban for breaking into Pettigrew's mother's home?" Neville asked.

Ron drew a smile. "I so must remember to mock Malfoy for this when he returns."

Meanwhile, Harry Potter was writing Christmas Cards. He was writing cards for Hermione, for Neville, for the Weasleys and, to his own surprise and horror, even the Dursleys. "Dobby is confused, Master." Harry's house elf Dobby commented. Harry eventually acquired him because his time with the Dursleys made him averse to doing housework. Dobby grew tired of being free and bound himself to Harry. "Dobby thought Master Harry hated Dursleys."

"It's complicated, Dobby." Harry explained. "I'm glad I no longer live with them but I can't just forget them after all those years."

"Master, there's someone at the door!" Dobby suddenly announced.

It turned out to be Albus Dumbledore. "What can I do for you, Chief Warlock?" Harry asked, not wanting to refer to his former Headmaster as anything that connects him to his Hogwarts position.

"Harry, my boy, you must return to Hogwarts and call off that wild goose chase for Peter." Dumbledore pleaded.

"Not. A. Chance." Harry replied with a frown. "I'm safer here than at Hogwarts with Malfoy and Snape."

" _Professor_ Snape, Harry." Dumbledore corrected him.

"I'm no longer his student, Dumbledore." Harry argued. "And it's not a wild goose chase. At least not until enough of Peter Pettigrew's body to confirm his supposed death is found. By the way, do you remember who found Pettigrew's finger and identified it as such?"

"It was Cornelius, Harry." Dumbledore answered while wondering where Harry's reasoning was going to.

"Fudge?" Harry asked in disdain. "It figures. With all the body parts found at the crime scene, who established that nothing else was Pettigrew's?"

"Cornelius and the Aurors who went to the crime scene to investigate the explosion searched for traces of magical signatures, Harry." Dumbledore answered.

"Magical?" Harry asked. "Does that mean nobody found the names of any of those unfortunate muggles who were killed at the explosion?"

"Fortunately, the muggle authorities were luckier than us on that regard, Harry." Dumbledore commented.

"Chief Warlock, do you really think Sirius Black betrayed my parents or did you just want an excuse to prevent him from rescuing me?" Harry asked, shocking Dumbledore.

"Rescuing?"

"As my Godfather, Sirius Black would have likely taken me in and, considering that you were so obsessed with making me live with the Dursleys you wouldn't even let me spend the whole summers with the Weasleys after they made that offer. You even talked Molly Weasley into rescinding it."

"Harry, my boy." Dumbledore pleaded. "When your mother sacrificed herself to save you, she left behind a protection that kept you safe until you became seventeen years old. You had to live with the Dursleys long enough to consider their home yours as well or the protection would wear off earlier."

"And you think it justifies sending innocent people to prison?" Harry asked.

"Harry, there's no way Sirius Black could be innocent." Dumbledore argued.

"Or so you want me to believe." Harry counter-argued. "After I explained my reasons to doubt, the best I can expect of you is that you force yourself to believe him guilty so you won't feel any remorse for not defending his right to a trial."

"Your reasons include Peter Pettigrew faking his death." Dumbledore said.

"The evidence doesn't rule out that possibility and, if you refuse to understand that, we are done." Harry stated. "Happy Christmas and that the rest of your life is full of remorse for what you allowed Crouch to do to my Godfather."

"Happy Christmas, Harry." Dumbledore sadly answered and left.

Meanwhile, Lucius Malfoy was being visited by two of his allies. "Please, Lucius." One of them begged. "We need your help to get our sons out of Azkaban."

"Crabbe, your son and Goyle's should have thought about that before risking themselves looking for Peter Pettigrew and one month in Azkaban isn't that bad." Lucius replied. "Wherever Pettigrew is hiding, assuming he's still alive, I hope he isn't found. Who knows what he will say if he decides to subject himself to Veritaserum to avoid the Dementor's kiss."

"Can't you convince the Minister?" Mr. Goyle asked.

"If one month in Azkaban is what it takes to discourage people from looking for Peter Pettigrew, so be it." Lucius replied. "Why couldn't Potter be satisfied with the Wizengamot acknowledging that Black's guilty wasn't obvious?"

"It's all Potter's fault." Mr. Crabbe commented and Mr. Goyle agreed.

"It's not my problem." Lucius indifferently replied while secretly imagining them killing Harry.

 **End chapter.**


	12. Justice

**Chapter 12: Justice**

Two more wizards were arrested because of Harry's desire to have Peter Pettigrew captured. This time, however, it wasn't about wizards looking for Pettigrew. Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle, blaming their respective sons' imprisonment on Harry for offering the reward the boys were looking for, tried to break into his home to kill him but the wards protecting his home held on long enough to allow an Auror squad to capture them. Acting fast, Amelia Bones started questioning them before the Minister intervened to protect his 'friends'. Not wanting them to have a chance to set a story together, she interviewed them separately and started with Mr. Crabbe. "Now, Mr. Crabbe, what were you doing at Mr. Potter's property?" Amelia asked.

"I shall not tell unless we strike a bargain." Crabbe replied.

"I don't need your testimony to send Mr. Goyle to Azkaban, Mr. Crabbe." Amelia replied.

"What about the person who hired us?" Crabbe asked, surprising Amelia. Up to that moment, she was under the impression they merely blamed Harry for what happened to Vincent and Gregory.

"If somebody really hired the both of you, that person must have a high-enough rank to prevent your statements from serving as proof unless you confirm them with Veritaserum." Amelia commented.

"Okay." Crabbe increased her surprise.

While they negotiated, Dolores Umbridge was reporting to the Minister. "Cornelius, you have to do something!" She pleaded. "Madam Bones is treating two purebloods like they're criminals!"

"Dolores, we must be seen doing things after Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle broke into Harry Potter's home." The Minister replied.

"I cannot believe we're bending to the whims of some attention-seeking brat." Umbridge commented in disgust.

"An attention-seeking brat who is nearly as popular as Merlin, Dolores." Fudge explained.

"Cornelius, it's the Potter brat's fault four purebloods are being treated like criminals." Umbridge said. "We must do something!"

"But we can't!" Fudge replied during one of his rarest displays of intelligence. "Unless he breaks the law, we cannot do anything against him."

Their arguing lasted for a few more minutes until Amelia Bones and some Aurors showed up. "Dolores Jane Umbridge, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit the attempted murder of Harry James Potter." Rufus Scrimegour declared.

"Rufus, what's the meaning of this?" Fudge asked in outrage.

"Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle gave statements claiming your Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge offered an early release to their sons in exchange for killing Harry Potter." Amelia explained.

"They are lying!" Umbridge shouted.

"They confirmed it under Veritaserum." Amelia replied.

"You forced purebloods to drink Veritaserum?" Fudge asked.

"They willingly offered to drink it, Minister." Amelia explained.

"Cornelius, do something!" Umbridge pleaded.

After taking some time to think things over, which explained the burning smell everybody around him felt, he made his decision. "Aurors, have her cell watched 24/7 to make sure she won't escape!" Fudge ordered and Umbridge fainted.

When news of Umbridge's arrest arrived at Hogwarts via the Daily Prophet, all students with relatives who worked at the Ministry rejoiced at the fact. "Mione, the trial is scheduled for a day we're allowed to go to Hogsmeade." Ron commented. "How about we go to the Ministry to watch it?"

"Ronald, I don't think it's within our bounds." She replied.

"We're adults now." Ron argued.

Wanting to play it safe, Hermione stayed in Hogsmeade until it was time to return to the castle. Ron, on the other hand, went to the Ministry to watch Umbridge's trial.

Mr. Crabbe's and Mr. Goyle's Veritaserum-induced statements were so solid Fudge's Senior Undersecretary had no chance to avoid conviction. "Dolores Jane Umbridge, you were found guilty of one account of conspiracy to commit attempted murder." Amelia Bones stated. "Do you have anything to say before your sentence is established?"

"Harry Potter is causing too much chaos with his delusion about Peter Pettigrew being alive and a Death Eater!" Umbridge pleaded. "Somebody had to do something."

"Murder is not the solution." The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement replied. "I hereby sentence you to fifteen years in Azkaban."

"Cornelius, do something!" Umbridge desperately asked. "You owe me after everything I did for you!"

"I never told you to do anything illegal." Fudge replied in disgust and refused to help her. Everyone was glad for his reaction.

As Harry was about to leave the Ministry, he was approached by Arthur Weasley. "Wait, Harry!"

"Mr. Weasley?"

"Harry, I know things haven't been exactly fine after Molly's reaction to you questioning Sirius Black's guilt but I'd like to invite you to spend Easter with us." Arthur said.

"Of course, Mr. Weasley." Harry accepted the invitation.

 **End chapter.**


	13. Easter

**Chapter 13: Easter**

Harry Potter was glad to reconnect to the Weasleys. He knocked on the door and was welcomed by Molly Weasley. "Harry, my dear. It's so good to see you again." She said with the cordiality he's used to hear from her but then she glared at him. "You'd better not say anything about Black or poor Peter while you're here. Understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Harry replied, not believing the search for Peter Pettigrew could make any progress by being discussed there anyway.

Harry gave the Weasleys a big egg for the occasion. "Thank you, Harry." Molly sweetly replied.

As Harry and the Weasleys were eating together, Ron surprisingly decided to open his mouth for something other than eating. "Hey, mate. Any news on Pettigrew?" He asked.

"RONALD WEASLEY, DID YOU FORGET I FORBADE YOU FROM DISCUSSING POOR PETER?" Molly angrily shouted. "AFTER I WENT THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF TELLING HARRY NOT TO MENTION HIM OR THAT TREACHEROUS MURDERER."

"Come on, Mum." Ron pleaded. "I just want to know if I still have a chance to get that reward."

"NOBODY HAS IT BECAUSE PETER PETTIGREW IS DEAD!" Molly shouted. "NOW STOP RUINING OUR EASTER!"

"Ron, how's Scabbers?" Harry asked hoping to defuse the situation.

"He's fine, Harry." Ron answered and then produced said rat. "See?"

"How did he lose that toe anyway?" Harry asked while wondering what was making Scabbers so nervous.

"We don't know, Harry." Arthur Weasley answered. "He was already like that by the time Percy found him all those years ago."

"The same year Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban, Harry." Bill added, earning a glare from Molly.

"Did you first see Scabbers _before_ or _after_ the explosion where those muggles were killed?" Harry asked, starting to suspect something.

"After." Percy answered while fearing Harry's reasoning.

"Ron, do you remember saying Scabbers has lived too long for an ordinary rat?" Harry asked.

"What's your point, mate?" Ron asked in reply.

"Has anyone checked Scabbers to see if he's an Animagus?" Harry suggested.

That question drove the aforementioned rat into a panic and he tried to flee but Fred and George (or was it Gred and Forge?) hit him with a stunner. "Don't hurt him!" Ron demanded.

"Don't worry, Ron." Harry reassured his friend. "They'll just perform the spell to revert him back to his human form."

"Scabbers isn't an Animagus!" Ron exclaimed.

"There's only one way to know, Ron." Harry argued.

"Don't you dare!" Molly ordered upon seeing that twins readying their wands.

"It's the only way to settle Harry's doubts, Molly." Arthur pleaded and she reluctantly agreed.

The twins performed the spells and, to everyone's (even Harry's) surprise, Scabbers turned into a rat-faced man Arthur and Molly recognized as "Peter Pettigrew?"

"Hello, everyone." Pettigrew meekly said.

"Peter Pettigrew, alive as I expected." Harry commented with a seemingly calm tone but his face showed anger.

"Harry, you grew so much." Peter said trying to sound innocent. "You must have so many questions."

"Yes." The twins replied. "How did you become an Animagus?"

Molly glared at them but it didn't keep Pettigrew from answering. "James and Sirius helped me."

"Be careful when mentioning the names of those you betrayed, you dirty rat." Harry ordered.

"There's time for that later, Harry." Molly replied while still distraught by the recent development. "Now let's call the Ministry."

"NO!" Harry shouted in desperation. "We must call the Daily Prophet first! The Ministry mustn't know about Pettigrew being found alive before it becomes known to so many witnesses it'll be impossible to hide the fact."

"Harry, if that's what worries you, we can call Headmaster Dumbledore." Molly suggested.

"I don't trust him either, Mrs. Weasley." Harry replied. "The more I think about this, the more I suspect he just pretended he fell for Pettigrew's trickery."

Molly remained shocked until they heard someone knocking on the door. Arthur answered it. "How may I help you…" He said and then saw who was at the door. "Rita Skeeter?"

"I'm here because I heard Harry Potter was here and I want to interview him." She explained.

"Ms. Skeeter, I'm glad you're here." Harry said as he showed the captured traitor. "Fred and George Weasley captured Peter Pettigrew."

"Hey!" Ron protested. "What about me?"

"They did all the work." Harry argued and then gave Skeeter the interview of the century. She was glad for not needing to twist any facts because, as far as she's concerned, Harry already did it for her. In her story, she's glad to point out to the fact that Harry insisted on calling the media first because he was afraid the Ministry and/or Dumbledore would try to cover it up otherwise.

At the Ministry, everyone was shocked at the news but Pettigrew's photograph left no room for doubts about who really betrayed the Potters. "Amelia, we have to do something!" Fudge exclaimed.

"We must take Pettigrew to the Wizengamot for an emergency session, Minister." She replied.

"Actually, I was talking about Potter." Fudge explained. "He shouldn't get away with defaming the Ministry."

"Actually, Minister, our defamation laws consider it a valid defense to have a good reason to believe the defamatory comments to be true." Amelia replied.

"But he's making the Ministry look bad." Fudge whined.

"Make a public statement blaming the previous administration and Dumbledore for sending Sirius Black to Azkaban without a trial." Amelia suggested. "The Wizengamot already granted his estate a compensation for it anyway."

"Good idea!" Fudge exclaimed. "Perhaps I should make you my new Senior Undersecretary."

"You'd better think well about it, Minister." Amelia replied, not wanting to outright reject it.

 **End chapter.**

 **Author's Note: I would call this chapter "The Easter of Revelations" but I decided against it because it would be a spoiler.**


	14. Epilogue

**Chapter 14: Epilogue**

After giving a public statement where he confirmed that Peter Pettigrew was really alive, Minister Fudge joined Amelia Bones and an Auror team for Pettigrew's questioning. "Mr. Pettigrew, after all those years, why didn't the Wizarding World know you're alive?" Bones asked.

"I was afraid Sirius Black would come after me." Pettigrew answered.

"But he stayed in Azkaban for the rest of his life!" The Minister exclaimed.

"I was afraid he'd cheat justice." The traitor replied. "He was heir to one of the Darkest families."

"And what about after Sirius Black's death was announced?" Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt asked. "Were you afraid he was just faking his death like you faked yours?"

"I was afraid of how people would react and Harry made things worse by making Black out to be innocent as part of his frivolous lawsuit." Pettigrew explained.

"Honestly, Mr. Pettigrew, after all that time you spent pretending to be a mere rat only helps making me think you really framed Sirius Black as his godson suggested." Amelia Bones commented. "You'll have to state your innocence under Veritaserum to convince me."

"Is it really necessary?" Pettigrew pleaded.

"The Wizengamot granted Sirius Black's estate more money than they would had they not believed him to be innocent, Mr. Pettigrew." Madam Bones explained, making Pettigrew understand his situation.

"I can give names!" Pettigrew offered. "Lucius Malfoy…"

"He was already cleared on grounds of the Imperius Curse!" Fudge quickly replied.

"I'll confirm under Veritaserum that he was pretending!" Pettigrew pleaded.

"Just because you weren't around to see You-Know-Who pointing his wand at Lucius Malfoy that doesn't mean it didn't happen." Fudge pointed out and Amelia Bones begrudgingly understood the Minister's point.

"Mr. Pettigrew, when discovered, you said James Potter and Sirius Black helped you to become an Animagus." Amelia Bones commented. "What about the other Marauder? Remus Lupin."

"He's a werewolf and the rest of us became Animagi to be able to be near him during full moons." Pettigrew answered. "The Wolfsbane Potion still didn't exist back then."

"I'll have him arrested for obstruction of justice." She stated. "As for you, Mr. Pettigrew, you will have a day in court where you'll be tried and sentenced."

At the trial day, Pettigrew was desperate. "The Da… You-Know-Who was becoming more powerful every moment. What else could I do?"

' _You could have refused to become the Secret-Keeper, you despicable coward.'_ Harry thought with a frown.

"Peter Pettigrew, James and Lily Potter were killed and Sirius Black imprisoned because of you." Chief Warlock Dumbledore berated the traitor.

"You're giving him too much credit, Chief Warlock." Harry commented. "Yes, it was Pettigrew's fault that Voldemort killed my parents but the only ones at fault for my Godfather's wrongful imprisonment are those who decided to deny him a trial. Thinking he's guilty is no excuse for such a decision."

"Mr. Potter, you're here just as a viewer." Amelia Bones berated him. "Remain silent or I'll have you escorted out of the courtroom."

Minister Fudge decided to call for a verdict. "All in favor of declaring Peter Pettigrew guilty of being an unregistered Animagus raise your wands." All Wizengamot members did as asked. "Now all in favor of declaring him innocent." Fudge had to fulfill that formality. "It's unanimous!" He then went for each other crime with the same results. "Peter Pettigrew, you've been found guilty of all charges." The Minister declared. "Do you have anything to say before we decide your sentence?"

"I had no choice!" Pettigrew pleaded.

"All in favor of sentencing him to the Veil raise your wands!" Fudge declared and all but one did. "Now all against it." No one opposed the sentencing. "Aurors, throw this properly convicted traitor to the Veil right now!"

"No! Mercy! Mercy!" Pettigrew desperately shouted.

"We're already being more merciful than you deserve by not making you rot in Azkaban with the Dementors for years." Fudge replied and practically everyone agreed.

After that, everyone else left the courtroom. Harry was about to go back home when Dumbledore interrupted him. "Harry, my boy."

"Don't call me 'my boy', Chief Warlock." Harry demanded.

"Mr. Potter, I'm terribly sorry for not believing you or Sirius." Dumbledore apologized.

"Why didn't you defend his right to a trial?" Harry demanded.

"Because I genuinely believed him guilty and couldn't risk him having access to you, Harry." Dumbledore sadly explained.

"Or so you say." Harry replied. "For all I know, you played along with Pettigrew's scheme because my Godfather wouldn't approve your plans for me." He didn't care about Dumbledore's downcast expression. "Anything else you'd like to say, _Headmaster_?"

"Yes, Harry." Dumbledore answered. "Would you put up a good word for Remus with Amelia?"

"What're you talking about?" Harry asked.

"Pettigrew's confession implied that Remus already knew about him being an Animagus." Dumbledore explained. "Amelia's holding it as grounds to accuse him of obstruction of justice because Remus refused to mention it when she questioned him about Pettigrew."

"Serves him right." Harry stated with no regrets. "He should have told her even if he really thought the traitor was dead. Nobody else was alive to suffer the consequences anyway."

Dejected, Dumbledore left. Harry was then interrupted by Hermione Granger. "HARRY JAMES POTTER, HOW DARE YOU IMPLY THAT PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE WAS PRETENDING TO HAVE FALLEN FOR PETTIGREW'S TRICKERY? I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU BEING MAD AT HIM FOR NOT HOLDING A TRIAL FOR SIRIUS BLACK BUT YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR!"

"Or not far enough and don't yell at me!" Harry replied. "Goodbye."

Hermione was so non-magically stunned she didn't keep him from disaparating away. The next morning, Harry read at the Daily Prophet that Remus Lupin said he didn't say anything about Peter Pettigrew being an Animagus because he genuinely believed Pettigrew died at the explosion. Like Harry, Cornelius Fudge and Amelia Bones also believed it was no excuse.

Meanwhile, Headmaster Dumbledore was evaluating how the latest development was affecting the students. "Severus, how are the students under your care reacting to Peter Pettigrew being found alive and well?" He asked.

"They see it as a confirmation of what some of their parents always said about Sirius Black being an innocent who was left to rot in Azkaban because he abandoned his dark roots and the Light side isn't really welcoming of anyone from Dark families." Snape explained. "They're now more determined than ever to stay in the Dark side so the Light side will have to prove them guilty of crimes to make them rot in Azkaban."

"And I always thought Lucius Malfoy was twisting the facts to trick his son into following his footsteps." Dumbledore sadly commented.

"So did I, Headmaster." Snape replied. After the meeting, Snape left the Headmaster's office and was worried about how depressed his employer was.

 **End story.**


End file.
